Sucker-rod hanger



p 28, 1931- A. H. NEILSON 1,802,526

SUCKER ROD HANGER Filed Nov. 24, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 49 47 46 [45 a4 5/ g 50. 37 46' 35 5 40 5736-55 55 ?7 35 3? SZZ' I 259 H IIHII III/ a I" Z5 flag. 4. Z4 Z5 mwszvrm ATTORNEY V /7/ crf/M/ei/sofl Patented Apr. 28, 1931 STATES ALBERT H. NEILSON, OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA SUCKER-ROD HANGER Application filed November 24, 1928. Serial No. 321,580.

My invention relates to a sucker rod hanger and more particularly to a device of that character for use in oil well derricks for supporting disconnected sucker rod sections in the order of removal of the rods from the well; the principal object of the invention being to facilitate removal and replacement of the rods in the well.

A further purpose of my invention is to adapt the hanger for supporting the string of sucker rods whilethe rod elevator is being lowered for engagement with the next lower rod sect-ion, thereby eliminating the use of a second rod elevator, and the necessity of alternate connection and disconnection of the elevators for rod lifting and rod supporting purposes.

In accomplishing these and other objects of my invention, I have provided improved details of. structure, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the hanger suspended in a derrick for receiving and supporting the sucker rods.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the hanger partly broken away and in central section for better illustration of parts. v

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the rod gripping elements. 7

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a modified form of the gripping element.

Referring in detail to the drawings 1 designates an oil well derrick mounted on the usual platform 2 and located over the well hole 3, a cable 4 being suspended from the crown block of the derrick (not shown) for performing a rod pulling operation.

The well hole is fitted with usual pumping equipment 5, including well tubing 6 pro vided at its upper end with a flow fitting 7 and fitted at its lower end with a pump (not shown), which is operable by sucker rods 8 extending through the tubing and connecting with actuating apparatus 9 at the top of the well.

In preparing the well equipment for a rod pulling operation, the sucker rods are disconnected from the actuating apparatus, the cover is removed from the flow fitting 7 and an elevator 10 is attached to the end of the cable 4 to engage the rod coupling for lifting the rods from the well.

The rod sections are successively disconnected from the depending string of rods in the order of removal from the well, and after disconnection are individually supported by my improved hanger 11 presently described.

The hanger 11 (Fig. 1) is preferably po-' sitioned centrally between the center lineof the well and one side of the derrick and is supported above the platform from the top of the derrick to permit support of the rod sections by means hereafter described.

The hanger 11 includes a tubular spacer member 12 vertically disposed in parallel re? lation with the center line of the well and provided at its upper end with a coupling member 13. The member 13 includes a cap portion 14 equal in diameter to the spacer and provided withan upwardly extending bail 15 connected with the top of thederrick (not shown) by a cable 16 whereby the hanger is supported. J

Formed on the bottom of thecap 14 is an inset annular flange 17 fitting within the spacer for retaining the member in concentric relation, and located centrally in the cap'is an opening 18 engaged by a tie rod 19 which extends through the spacer and protrudes above the cap for engagement by a nut 20. v 7 Located at the lower end of the spacer member 12 is a bearing plate 21 having an upstanding annular flange 22 fitting within the lower end of the axle, and formed on the plate is a depending boss 23 provided with an opening 24 receiving the tie rod' 19, the rod being engaged by a nut 25, whereby the plate 21, axle 12 and cap 14 are secured in assembled relation.

Formed adjacent the outer edge of the plate 21 and on the upper side thereof is an annular rail portion 26 provided with an annular groove 27 adapted for containing a plurality of ball bearings 28 for rotatably supporting acarrier member 29 presently described. V j

The carrier member 29 includes a sleeve 30 rotatably mounted on the s acer 12 and having a plate portion 31 slig tly larger in dim ameter than the bearing plate 21 and provided with a depending annular rail 32. The rail 32 aligns with the rail portion 26 on the bearing plate 21, and rests on the ball bearings 28 for supporting the plate 31 in rotatable relation with the bearing plate. A collar 33 is mounted on the spacer 12 above the sleeve of the carrier member 29, and is secured to the spacer by a set screw 34 for retaining the carrier member in assembled relation with the bearing plate 21.

Provided in the plate 31 are a plurality of annular spaced and radiallypaired openings 35, and positioned over the openingsare support brackets 36 having apertures 37 registeringwith the openings to receive bolts 38 wherebythe brackets are secured to the plate. The outer end of the bracket 36 extended laterally from the plate 31 is provided with a boss 39 having an opening 40 to receive the reduced portion 41 of a shouldered pivot pin 42, the pin being secured on the boss by a nut 43engagingthe reduced portion 41.

The upper end of'the pin 42 is fitted with a nut 44, and pivotally mounted on the pin are a plurality of laterally projecting horizontally swinging rod gripping arms 45, vertically spaced vby'the hub portions 46.

Provided at the outer end of the arm 45 is a'transversel'y disposed bar 47, (Fig. 3) and formed atone end of the bar is a hook 48 having a V shaped internal gripping surface 49 adapted for receiving a sucker rod for frictional engagement therein.

Formed at the opposite end of the bar 47 and at the lower edge thereof is a bracket 50 having an upturned ear. 51, and an opening 52 2) in the ear, aligns with an opening 53 in the bar forreceiving a bolt 54 for the mounting of a pivotal rod grippingmember 55. 1

The gripping member 55 comprises a grip segment 56' provided'with an operating handle 57 and having an arcuate toothed edge 58,

the radius to the points of the teeth increasing toward the'handle so that anti-clockwise movement of the gripping member when engaged with a rod increases the frictional resistance for supporting the rod or string of. rods connected therewith.

In order to stabilize the hanger against sideward swinging movement when supported on the cable 16, I provide bracing means which include a collar 59 slidably mounted on the spacer member 12 and fitted with a set screw 60, (Fig. 1) whereby the collar may be secured in the desired position on the spacer member. s

Formed on the collar 59 are spaced lugs 61 having apertures62 engaged by bolts 63 for the attachment of brace rods 64. r

r The brace. rods are provided with hooks 65 at their outer ends for engagement with eye fittings on" the 7 derrick legs, and turnbuckles 67 are interposdin the rods for securing the desired alignment of the hanger,

and proper adjustment of the brace members.

nection with a rod pulling operations is as follows:

In mounting the hanger in the derrick, the bail 15 is connected to the cable 16 which operates over a sheave of the crown block and the hanger is thereby hoisted to the desired height above the derrick platform, after which the cable is achored against movement.

The collar 59 is adjusted on the spacer member for alignment with the leg fittings 66 and the hooks 65 of the brace rods 64 are engaged in the eyes of the fittings, after which the turnbuckles are manipulated for properly locating the hanger and tensioning the brace members.

In pulling the rods, the cable 4 carrying the elevator 10 is lowered, and the elevator is applied under a rod coupling. The string of rods is then hoisted to expose the coupling of the next lower rod section as shown in Fig. 1.

The carrier member 29 of the hanger is then rotated to bring one of the gripping arms 45 in close relation with the elevated rod, the rod being applied in the gripping member 55 which serves to support the entire string of rods, while the elevator is disengaged and lowered for engagement with the coupling of the next lower section.

When the elevator has been applied on the next lower section, the rod engaged in the hanger is uncoupled from the depending string of rods and the gripping arm 45 is swung back on the pivot pin 42 supporting the rod above the derrick platform and permitting the engagement of a second gripping arm on the pin with the next lower rod section.

When the gripping arms 45 on one of the support brackets 36 are engaged with rod sections, the carrier member 29 is rotated to bring another one of the brackets in radial alignment with cable line 4.

lVhile the pins 42 on the brackets are shown as being fitted with two gripping arms, it is obvious that a greater number of the arms may be supported on the brackets by the use of a longer pin.

It is further apparent that a varying number of the brackets 36 may be used in connection with the gripping arms 45 for supporting the varying number of sucker rod sections of difierent wells.

In replacing the rods in the well the operation heretofore described is reversed. When a rod section has been threadedly engaged on the string of rods, the elevator is engaged on the upper coupling of the section, and by manipulation of the handle 54 of the grip arm 42, the rod is released from the hanger and is then lowered into the well by the elevator.

In the modified form of the gripping device shown in Fig. 4, a bar 67 corresponding to the bar 47, is provided with inclined rails 68 and a toothed slip 69 is slidable on the rails for wedging engagement with a sucker rod. An operating handle 70 pivoted on a bolt 71 and having an arm 72 engaging a slot 73 in the slip, is adapted for releasing the slip from engagement with the rod.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In combination with a bail member and a base plate, a tubular spacer between the bail and base plate, a tie rod extending through the spacer and connecting the bail member and plate, a carrier rotatably mounted on the base plate and guided by said spacer, arms pivotally supported by the carrier, and gripping members on said arms.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

ALBERT H. NEILSON. 

